Seeing that the two prisoners held by him in his hands were absolutely nonchalant and did not try to wriggle out, the rakshash Kabandha said "Oh, so you two are Kshatriyas! Seeing me miserably famished, you two seem to be offering yourselves without any resistance. That is why you two are so cool, right? Okay! consider yourselves dead."
Lakshmana then told Rama "Before this scurrilous rakshash haul us into his mouth, let us swiftly hack off both his arms at his shoulder level. It is highly gruesome to look at this gargantuan bodied rakshash."
On hearing this, that rakshash became highly infuriated, and then widely opening his ferocious mouth attempted to gulp down both of them. When the brothers were at the shoulder level of the rakshash, they instantly chopped off his arms right at their shoulder joints with their swords. Then Kabandha fell down with his mouth looking up and shouting with a cry that reverberated the sky, the earth and all the ten points of horizon with a cacophonous voice. That rakshash, without his arms could not make any move. He then asked the brothers who they were. Lakshmana replied him "He is known by the name of Rama, the legatee of Ikshvaku dynasty, and I am his younger brother, Lakshmana, by name. Obstructed from the kingdom by our mother this Rama was unceremoniously sent to forests, and he is on the rove in these great forests along with me and his wife. A rakshash stole his wife.
"But who are you? Your legs are missing, and your mouth is infernal, and it is on your chest, and alike a topless, rootless tree trunk you are sprawling in the forest. How so, or, for what reason?"
Kabandha became highly delighted to know who the brothers were. He remembered the words of Indra. He told them "Oh, Rama I am very happy that you have come, at last. My physique also was like that of yours earlier. Quite fantastic and renowned in all the three worlds. Concealing such an admirable body, and disguising myself in some horrendous form I was scaring the forest living sages. On one day, I started that fun game with a maharishi named Sthuulashira, when he was collecting divers forest produce for his Vedic-ritual. He became irritated and exasperated and cursed me to become an extremely horrible form permanently. When I begged his pardon he told me that 'When Rama incinerates you in the forest after chopping off your shoulders, you will regain your own grand and auspicious form.'
But nothing happened to me. I waited for some days and continued to enjoy the handsome body of mine. Then I thought that the maharishi did not mean to curse me but said only to ward me off or I was immune to any curse. "Oh, Lakshmana, sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I am a gandharva and the son of Danu. On pleasing my grandparent Brahma with severe ascesis he granted longevity to me.
"Now that I was not affected by the curse I was happily roaming around the worlds. Thus I became very arrogant. That kindled some recalcitrance in my mind. I thought that when longevity is granted to me why not call the great Indra to a duel. This headstrong notion made me challenge Indra for a duel. But the Thunderbolt that has a hundred cutting edges and that which was launched from Indra's hand rammed by head and thighs into my body.
Then I begged of him saying, 'Please send me to the hell of Yama, rather than making me to live in this hell of a body.' Then Indra told me, 'I cannot make the Grandparent Brahma's word about your longevity false.' Then I asked Indra as to how could eat without arms and mouth.' Then Indra devised for me a yojana long arms, also that way a rapier-fanged mouth in my paunch. Then I realized that this happened because of the curse. This is my story. I have been
eating the lions, elephants, tigers and other animals that come within the ambit of my arms in this forest. Indra also told me 'When Rama hacks off your arms along with Lakshmana, you will regain your original form.'
"Oh, sirs, I have been grabbing whatever animate beings I could get in this forest while living with this body.
Oh, Rama, to enable me to get my original handsome body, I request you and your brother Lakshmana to incinerate me in Fire. On getting my normal form, I will advice you about the next course of action for you to take to know the whereabouts of your wife. I will also advise you about your prospective friend who will assist you in this regard."
On hearing this, Rama told him "One Ravana conveniently stole my dear wife when my brother and I were away. I only know his name but not the form of that rakshash. And we are unaware about him regarding his place of residence and how powerful he is etc. Please tell us about that rakshash and then we will comply your request for your restitution. On bringing dried up firewood that was rent at times by elephants, and on digging a large trench, we certainly will incinerate you in it. If you actually know who stole Seetha, or whereto she is stolen, then please inform us. In this way you will be rendering a most gracious help to me, and to all concerned."
Kabandha replied "There is no divine knowledge in me as of now. As such I cannot identify Maithili. When I am burnt I assume my own original divine form, and then I will be able to tell about him, who will find her out etc. While I am in this body, oh, Rama, I indeed have no ability to discern anything. I will be able to tell you about him who can help you to know about that great mighty rakshash by whom your Seetha is stolen, only after incineration. Oh, Rama, you have to toss me into the trench to burn me customarily, before dusk. Oh, Rama, when I am scripturally burnt by you in a trench, I will get my original form and then I will be able to tell of him, who can quite fathom that rakshash."
As Rama did not have any reason to distrust Kabandha, he decided to incinerate the body of Kabandha, as requested by him. They took the body of Kabandha and threw the same into a mountain cleft and then embedded it with firewood. Lakshmana started to torch that pyre with highly sparkling torches from all over, causing that pyre to blaze from all over.
Immediately on the incineration of his body, that Kabandha in his original form of a gandharva, zoomed up shoving off that pyre. He was now attired in lily-white vestments and angelic garlands, and appeared like a fumeless fire. The happy Kabandha jumped up onto the sky, where he looked irradiant with unsullied clothing, and fineries decorated on every limb. On going to the firmament Kabandha got into a dazzling celestial aircraft yoked with swans. Sitting comfortably in that celestial aircraft (which was to take him to the realms of Brahma) he told Rama "Oh, Raghava, I am very sorry to say that you are now in a very bad period. When one is in a very bad period, it is highly advisable for him to seek and cultivate a very close friendship with some one who is equally in a similar bad time.
"Oh, Rama, I am unable to visualize what would happen to you if you do not befriend with the one who is also in similar bad period.
"Oh, Rama, let me tell you what is the best course for you now. There is one vanara by name Sugreeva, who has fallen out of favor of his brother Vali, the son of Indra. What Sugreeva did something in good faith was taken as a vengeful act against him by his brother, who is determined to kill Sugreeva. That respectable and valiant Sugreeva is now living on the Mt. Rishyamuka, a mountain in the lambent fringes of Pampa Lake, along with some other vanaras. He that Sugreeva is a masterful one among vanaras, highly mettlesome, self-resplendent, and illimitable is his self-radiance. He is also truth-bound and culture-bound, a mastermind, master-hand and a taskmaster. As the son of Surya, the Sun-god, he is a capable adventurer, a courageous exploiter and incomparable one in intrepidity and a brave one in incursions, and his personality will be coruscating ever and anon.
"Oh, Rama, make him your associate and an aid in searching Seetha, and he will be too pleased to help you.
"Vali was bent to extirpate him. Wary of Vali's onslaughts, Sugreeva is hiding around Pampa. Help him to vanquish his brother Vali and he will become highly grateful to you for ever.
"With his expertise that straightforward Sugreeva is very conversant with all of the strongholds of the maneating rakshashas in the world in their entirety. If he becomes the king of all the vanaras, he will employ the vast number of vanaras to search all over the world to find Seetha. He will also help you along with his vast army of vanaras to fight against the one who has taken Seetha away."
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Lakshmana then told Rama "Before this scurrilous rakshash haul us into his mouth, let us swiftly hack off both his arms at his shoulder level. It is highly gruesome to look at this gargantuan bodied rakshash."
On hearing this, that rakshash became highly infuriated, and then widely opening his ferocious mouth attempted to gulp down both of them. When the brothers were at the shoulder level of the rakshash, they instantly chopped off his arms right at their shoulder joints with their swords. Then Kabandha fell down with his mouth looking up and shouting with a cry that reverberated the sky, the earth and all the ten points of horizon with a cacophonous voice. That rakshash, without his arms could not make any move. He then asked the brothers who they were. Lakshmana replied him "He is known by the name of Rama, the legatee of Ikshvaku dynasty, and I am his younger brother, Lakshmana, by name. Obstructed from the kingdom by our mother this Rama was unceremoniously sent to forests, and he is on the rove in these great forests along with me and his wife. A rakshash stole his wife.
"But who are you? Your legs are missing, and your mouth is infernal, and it is on your chest, and alike a topless, rootless tree trunk you are sprawling in the forest. How so, or, for what reason?"
Kabandha became highly delighted to know who the brothers were. He remembered the words of Indra. He told them "Oh, Rama I am very happy that you have come, at last. My physique also was like that of yours earlier. Quite fantastic and renowned in all the three worlds. Concealing such an admirable body, and disguising myself in some horrendous form I was scaring the forest living sages. On one day, I started that fun game with a maharishi named Sthuulashira, when he was collecting divers forest produce for his Vedic-ritual. He became irritated and exasperated and cursed me to become an extremely horrible form permanently. When I begged his pardon he told me that 'When Rama incinerates you in the forest after chopping off your shoulders, you will regain your own grand and auspicious form.'
But nothing happened to me. I waited for some days and continued to enjoy the handsome body of mine. Then I thought that the maharishi did not mean to curse me but said only to ward me off or I was immune to any curse. "Oh, Lakshmana, sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I am a gandharva and the son of Danu. On pleasing my grandparent Brahma with severe ascesis he granted longevity to me.
"Now that I was not affected by the curse I was happily roaming around the worlds. Thus I became very arrogant. That kindled some recalcitrance in my mind. I thought that when longevity is granted to me why not call the great Indra to a duel. This headstrong notion made me challenge Indra for a duel. But the Thunderbolt that has a hundred cutting edges and that which was launched from Indra's hand rammed by head and thighs into my body.
Then I begged of him saying, 'Please send me to the hell of Yama, rather than making me to live in this hell of a body.' Then Indra told me, 'I cannot make the Grandparent Brahma's word about your longevity false.' Then I asked Indra as to how could eat without arms and mouth.' Then Indra devised for me a yojana long arms, also that way a rapier-fanged mouth in my paunch. Then I realized that this happened because of the curse. This is my story. I have been
eating the lions, elephants, tigers and other animals that come within the ambit of my arms in this forest. Indra also told me 'When Rama hacks off your arms along with Lakshmana, you will regain your original form.'
"Oh, sirs, I have been grabbing whatever animate beings I could get in this forest while living with this body.
Oh, Rama, to enable me to get my original handsome body, I request you and your brother Lakshmana to incinerate me in Fire. On getting my normal form, I will advice you about the next course of action for you to take to know the whereabouts of your wife. I will also advise you about your prospective friend who will assist you in this regard."
On hearing this, Rama told him "One Ravana conveniently stole my dear wife when my brother and I were away. I only know his name but not the form of that rakshash. And we are unaware about him regarding his place of residence and how powerful he is etc. Please tell us about that rakshash and then we will comply your request for your restitution. On bringing dried up firewood that was rent at times by elephants, and on digging a large trench, we certainly will incinerate you in it. If you actually know who stole Seetha, or whereto she is stolen, then please inform us. In this way you will be rendering a most gracious help to me, and to all concerned."
Kabandha replied "There is no divine knowledge in me as of now. As such I cannot identify Maithili. When I am burnt I assume my own original divine form, and then I will be able to tell about him, who will find her out etc. While I am in this body, oh, Rama, I indeed have no ability to discern anything. I will be able to tell you about him who can help you to know about that great mighty rakshash by whom your Seetha is stolen, only after incineration. Oh, Rama, you have to toss me into the trench to burn me customarily, before dusk. Oh, Rama, when I am scripturally burnt by you in a trench, I will get my original form and then I will be able to tell of him, who can quite fathom that rakshash."
As Rama did not have any reason to distrust Kabandha, he decided to incinerate the body of Kabandha, as requested by him. They took the body of Kabandha and threw the same into a mountain cleft and then embedded it with firewood. Lakshmana started to torch that pyre with highly sparkling torches from all over, causing that pyre to blaze from all over.
Immediately on the incineration of his body, that Kabandha in his original form of a gandharva, zoomed up shoving off that pyre. He was now attired in lily-white vestments and angelic garlands, and appeared like a fumeless fire. The happy Kabandha jumped up onto the sky, where he looked irradiant with unsullied clothing, and fineries decorated on every limb. On going to the firmament Kabandha got into a dazzling celestial aircraft yoked with swans. Sitting comfortably in that celestial aircraft (which was to take him to the realms of Brahma) he told Rama "Oh, Raghava, I am very sorry to say that you are now in a very bad period. When one is in a very bad period, it is highly advisable for him to seek and cultivate a very close friendship with some one who is equally in a similar bad time.
"Oh, Rama, I am unable to visualize what would happen to you if you do not befriend with the one who is also in similar bad period.
"Oh, Rama, let me tell you what is the best course for you now. There is one vanara by name Sugreeva, who has fallen out of favor of his brother Vali, the son of Indra. What Sugreeva did something in good faith was taken as a vengeful act against him by his brother, who is determined to kill Sugreeva. That respectable and valiant Sugreeva is now living on the Mt. Rishyamuka, a mountain in the lambent fringes of Pampa Lake, along with some other vanaras. He that Sugreeva is a masterful one among vanaras, highly mettlesome, self-resplendent, and illimitable is his self-radiance. He is also truth-bound and culture-bound, a mastermind, master-hand and a taskmaster. As the son of Surya, the Sun-god, he is a capable adventurer, a courageous exploiter and incomparable one in intrepidity and a brave one in incursions, and his personality will be coruscating ever and anon.
"Oh, Rama, make him your associate and an aid in searching Seetha, and he will be too pleased to help you.
"Vali was bent to extirpate him. Wary of Vali's onslaughts, Sugreeva is hiding around Pampa. Help him to vanquish his brother Vali and he will become highly grateful to you for ever.
"With his expertise that straightforward Sugreeva is very conversant with all of the strongholds of the maneating rakshashas in the world in their entirety. If he becomes the king of all the vanaras, he will employ the vast number of vanaras to search all over the world to find Seetha. He will also help you along with his vast army of vanaras to fight against the one who has taken Seetha away."
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